Amusement apparatus



Feb. 26, 1946. (H. F. MAYNES 2,395,678

' AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR.

BY HYLA F MAYNES Q wQMmQMQ CZ-M Arron/vac:

Feb. 26, 1946. H. F. MAYNES 2,395,678

" AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Filed July 21, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2'.

INVENTOR.

I'QYYLA F MAYNES Arron/v59;

Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED AMUSEMENT APPARATUS Hyla FrMaynes, Menands, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Emma C. Maynes Application July 21, 1944, Serial No. 545,945

9 Claims.

This invention relates to aquatic amusement apparatus and particularly to novel passengercarrying boat means.

The present invention aifords improved boat means for use in conjunction with amusement apparatus similar to that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,343,313, granted March 7, 1944. The boat of the present invention, like that of my prior patent, is suspended and supported by an encircling, relatively large, pneumatic tire. However according to the present invention, the boat proper is rotatable within the supporting tire, whereby it may be freely and quickly turned without the considerable added friction incident to turning the supporting tire. This makes the boat of the present invention more readily maneuverable than has heretofore been the case.

Further, according to the present invention, the boat proper may be freely steered to and propelled in any desired direction regardless of the condition of rest or rotation of the supporting tire. Anti-friction means are preferably but not necessarily provided to further render the boat itself rotatably independent of the supporting tire.

The boat of the present invention is provided with fluid pressure motor means for propulsion thereof and has suitable fluid pressure storage means. As a practical matter boats of the type here in contemplation are usually used at carnivals, fairs and other places of public amusement and individual rides are of relatively short duration. It is accordingly highly practical to provide an air pressure reservoir or tank and the shape of the tank herein disclosed is such as to safely carry desired air pressures without extraordinary structural reinforcement, while still working conveniently into the design of theboat and not requiring the latter to be unduly, enlarged by reason of the tank. 7

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the principles of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical cross-sectional view of the form of boat shown herein by way of example; and

Fig. 2'is a fragmentary top plan view thereof with the hull in cross section.

In the drawings like characters of reference denote like parts and the numeral l designates a generally annular side wall portion of sheet metal, the bottom wall of the boat hull compris ing a plate designated It. The annular side wall ii! xtends inwardly at its bottom edge to provide an annular flange i2 and thence extends upwardly to provide an upstanding inner wall portion [3. formed is closed off by an annular plate 14 having upstanding inner and outer flanges l5 and It to facilitate hermetic sealing of the annular tank space H. The assembled tank is designated generally 18.

For propulsion purposes the bottom plate H is provided with a downwardly extending motor casing 29 which houses an air operated motor 2i which may be of any convenient and commercially available form. The output shaft of motor 2! is designated 22 and extends rearwardly through a suitable bearing formed in casing 211 to carry a propeller 24E. A conduit 25 extends between the interior of the annular tank space H and the motor 28 and is provided with a throttle valve (not shown) which is controlled from a foot operated accelerator pedal28.

The pedal 28 has a pivot bearing support 29 and a downwardly extending arm 30 which ,extends through a clearance opening in bottom plate H and pivotally engages a link 3!. The other end of link 3i pivotally engages a throttle arm 32 and the entire throttle assembly is normally biased to a throttle-closed position by an extension spring 34 which engages between arm 39 and a lug 35 fixed to the bottom of plate I l. Depression of accelerator pedal 28 opens the throttle valve to any desired degree.

Between runs the pressure in tank l8 may be replenished through a conduit 38 which terminates in a conventional normally closed fitting 39. The manner in which a pressure supply conduit is fixed to the fitting 39 for replenishing tank pressure is known to those skilled in the art and need not be further described.

Resting upon the upper surface of the-storage tank is a seat base 59 and a seat cushion 5!. The forward portion of the seat base 50- and cushion 5| is designated 52 and is readily removable to give access to the lower central compartment. A step 53 is disposed forwardly of the seat cushions 5|, 52 and is narrow enough transversely to be straddled by an occupant. The step 53 is used in entering and leaving the boat. The back and sides of the annular wall ID are cushioned as at 64 to complete the upholstery of seat.

The direction of the boat is controlled by means of a rudder and the'manner in which such control is efiected will now be described. A

The top of the annular space thus bracket 6| extends inwardly from the forward wall Ill and rotatably supports a steering wheel 62. A steering arm 63 fixed for rotation with wheel 62 has a downwardly extending link 64 for engagement with an end of a rocker arm 65 having a fixed pivot axis. The other end of rocker arm 85 engages a link 65, and a rudder supporting shaft 67 extends upwardly through bottom .plate ll to carry a laterally extending arm 68 which likewise iengages' link 66. It is' believed the operation of the: steering linkage is obvious from the foregoing.

It will be noted that the shape of the boat hull, the shape of the storage tank and the disposition of the seating and enteringdevices and the control elements are such that the ,Q-PI-GSEIECBiOf the storage tank does not materially add to the required size of the boat. In the main, *space that would otherwise be unavoidable waste space is utilized, and at the same time such space perniits the 'employment of a "truly annular tank with its obvious advantages from the standpoint of-s'tructural resistance torelatively high internal "pressures.

annular angle iron '15 encircles the annular wa1l H] of the boat and providesa raceway 'for a series of anti-friction. balls 16. A pneumatic tire casing is designated 83 and such casing maybe mounted upon a conventional drop center rim 81. The'upper flange of rim '81 comprises an opposed raceway for the an'ti-ifriction balls 16 so that the entire boat is freely rotatable within its supporting pneumatic tire casing 80 and the foregoing structure provides anti-friction bearing against both radial :and annular thrust. V The casing 80"is provided withthe usual inner tube and in Fig. l a suitable tire valve is designated-85. -With the structure thus far described the entire boat including its propulsion and steering mechanisms may merely be hoisted from its position of assembly within the tire 80.

To prevent accidental dislodgem'ent of the boat hull the bottom plate 'H has pivoted thereto a series of fingers 90 which in the position illustrated i-n Fig. 1 prevent lifting of the boat rel- 'ative tothe tire by engagement against the lower flange of "rim 81 :if such lifting be attempted. Ample clearance between the rim flange and fingers 98 is preferably provided-,to "avoid friction. since the hull will normally be supported entirely by the ball bearing upper annular support. When it is desired -to disassemble the boat and its supporting tire the fingers are-merely pivoted aside.

While a complete and specific embodiment "of the plans of the present invention have been described in detail by way of example, it is to be understood that the spirit and scope of the present invention are not limited otherwise than as defined in the appended-claims.

,Iclaim:

1. In amusement apparatus, a boathull having a substantially cylindrical side wall, and --'a pneumatic tire extending around said sidewall .for buoyantly supporting the hull 'and'pompris- :ing a resilient lbumper, said hull and said tire being freely rotatable relative to each other.

2. In amusement apparatus, a boat hull having a substantially cylindrical side wall, and a pneumatic tire extending around said side wall for buoyantly supporting the hull and comprising a resilient bumper, said hull and said tire being freely rotatable relative to 'each other, and propulsion means and steering means carried entirely by said hull at the lower portion thereof and projecting beneath the lower side of saiditir.

3. In amusement apparatus, a boat hull and a :pneumatic tire extending around said hull for buoyantly supporting the hull, said hull and said "tire being freely rotatable relative to each other, and .propulsion :means carried by said hull at zthe -lowerportmn thereof and projecting beneath the lower side of said tire.

4.'-In amusement apparatus, a boat hull and a pneumatic tire extending around said hull for buoyantly supporting the hull, said hull and said tire bingireelyrotatable relative to each other, and propulsion means, and steering means carried by said hull at the lower portion thereof and projecting beneath the lower side of said tire.

"5. In amusement apparatus, a boat hull having a substantially cylindrical side wall, a pneumatic ltire extending around said side wall for buoyantly supporting the hull and comprising a resilient bumper, and anti-friction bearing means between said hull and said tire whereby they are freely rotatable relative to each other.

In amusement apparatus, a boat comprising a substantially cylindrical body portion, a pneu-- matic tire surrounding said body for buoyantly supporting the same, and means associating said body portion and said tire for free relative'rotation.

-7. -In-amusement apparatus, a boat comprising a'substantially cylindricalbody portion, a pneumatic tire surrounding said body for buoyantly supporting the same, and anti-friction bearing means associating said body portion and said tire for free relative rotation.

:8. In amusement apparatus, a boat comprising a substantially cylindrical body portion, a pneumatic tire surrounding said body for buoyantly supporting the same, means associating said fbcdy portion and said tire for free relative rotation, and propulsion and steering means carried entirely by -said body portion at the lower portion thereof and projecting beneath the lower .side of said tire.

9. In a boat, a hull having a substantially cylindrical sidewall and a bottom wall, means defining an annular fluid pressure reservoir within said side wall and extending about "the lower'portion thereof, a passenger seat-above a portion of'sa'icl reservoir whereby a seated passenger employs the central open space defined by said reservoir for leg room, acasing portion extending belowsaid bott'om'wall, a fluid pressure *actu'at'ed propulsion motor in said casing portion and connectible with said reservoir for operating the boat, and a pneumatic tire extending-aroundsaid side wall for buoyantly supporting the hull, said hull and said tire being freely rotatable relative toeach-other.

HYLAF. MAYNES. 

